The invention herein relates to an insulated siding system which is particularly suitable for houses, but is also applicable to structures and buildings of all types. In the covering of the exterior of buildings, either in new construction or as a covering over existing materials, such as wood siding, it is conventional to use a siding system made up of individual panels of metal or plastic. The metal siding is usually aluminum or steel and the plastic siding is usually polyvinyl chloride (commonly referred to as "vinyl"). The siding panels are attached to the structure by nailing, typically through holes formed in a flange on each panel. Trim strips and other siding accessories are used to finish off the building surfaces on the edges, corners and around windows and doors.
Most siding systems made of metal or vinyl have little thermal insulation properties. Where this is desired, siding systems utilizing sheets or layers of insulation are utilized. These systems typically take several forms. In one system, a long, narrow sheet of foam insulation board is dropped in place behind each panel as it is being installed. In a second system, the insulation is glued directly to the back of the panels before the panels are installed in place. In another system, the insulation is foamed into place at the factory filling the hollow profile cross-section in the back of the panels. In still another system, the insulation is provided in large sheets (e.g. 4.times.8 feet) and nailed directly to the structure and the paneling is then installed over the insulation. Examples of some of these conventional systems are shown in U.S. patent to Sanders et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,034,528 issued July 12, 1977, U.S. patent to Mattes, U.S. Pat. No. 3,552,078 issued Jan. 5, 1971, and U.S. patent to Sallie et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,304,676 issued Feb. 21, 1967. Other types of insulated siding systems are shown in U.S. patent to Thomas, U.S. Pat. No. 2,126,676 issued Aug. 9, 1938, and U.S. patent to O'Brien, U.S. Pat. No. 3,054,223 issued Sept. 18, 1962.
Although known insulated siding systems may provide superior thermal insulation properties over non-insulated siding systems, they still may allow significant air filtration and thermal conductivity to take place which adversely affect the desired insulation effects. In the known systems, little or no air space is provided between the siding and the structure and, if provided, the air in the space is allowed to mix with and flow to the atmosphere (this is called "air filtration"). Frequent surface-to-surface contact is also made in the known systems between the panels and the structure allowing significant thermal conductivity to take place through the materials themselves between the outside atmosphere and the structure. Often the insulation fills the entire space behind the panels and/or makes full surface-to-surface contact with the structure.
It is a purpose of the present invention to provide an insulated siding system, preferably made of vinyl, which is an improvement over known systems. The invention considerably reduces thermal conductivity and air filtration and increases the "R" rating of the siding system (which is the recognized rating of thermal insulation of a product).
The inventive siding panels are shaped to hold an elongated sheet of foam insulation behind them. The insulation is positioned in the panel so that it is spaced from both the panel front and the building, thus providing two air spaces behind the panel. The air space adjacent the structure is designed to provide as little air filtration as possible and thus effectively provide a "dead air space". Notches or openings in each of the panels allow the "dead air spaces" behind all of the panels in an area to be in contact. These openings, together with corresponding passages formed in the soffits or overhangs of the buildings, allow any trapped moisturized air to flow upwardly out of the space and escape preventing moisture damage.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a study of the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.